Seymour w



(No Model.)

S. W. PEREGRINE. TABLET SUPPORTER.

Patented June 11, 1895.

INVENTOR v a 3 6M; 77

- A; ATTORNEY WITNESSES. I ZW M SEYMOUR W. PEREGRINE, OF GRAND ATENT Fries.

RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE GRAND RAPIDS SEATING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TAB LET-SU PPORT-ER.

SIECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 541,007, dated June 11, 1895. I

pp c fi March 1896. Serial No. 543,567. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SEYMOUR W. PEREGRINE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Tablet- Supporter, of which the following is specification.

This invention'relates to a certain new and useful improvement to be applied to opera seats, chairs, &c., for supporting an arm, or tablet supporter, which arm is adapted to be" dropped down when not in use and to be extended into a horizontal position, or substantially horizontal position, and retained there IS while in use; and the objects of my invention are, first, to enable the user to unlock the catch or lock which holds the arm in a horizontal position and allow the same to' drop down when not in use, which unlocking is accomzo plished by merely raising the arm above a certain point and allowing the same again to be moved down beyond the locking position,-

substan'tially as hereinafter described; sec- 0nd, to furnish a cheap and easily operated automatic catch for the purpose of retaining the arm and tablet in a horizontal position, and which can be readily unlocked. These objects I accomplish by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawo ings, in which Figure 1 shows a side view of my tablet-sup porter applied to a folding chair, the chair being shown in section, the view showing the inside of the chair-arm. Fig. 2 is a side eleva- 3 5 tion of the same parts without the chair, with the upper portion of the case which covers the locking device removed in order to disclose the action of the locking-latch and the unlocking-cam and other parts working in connec tion therewith, the arm or tablet-supporter being locked in its horizontal position in said Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is also a side elevation of substantially the same part as shown in Fig. 2 with the unlocking-cam dropped into position,

so that as the arm or tablet-supporter is lowered it will pass down toa perpendicular po sition. Fig. 4B shows sectional view through the locking-latch in order to show the aper ture or opening which accommodates the un locking-cam. Figs. 5 and 6 show detached views of the unlocking-cam, Fig. 5 showing a plan view, and Fig. 6 a side elevation.-

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

' A represents a part of the chair frame which supports the tablet supporting arm.

B and C show the part of the supporting arm which contains the mechanism for lock ing and unlocking the arm, said B and 0 showing merely the outside case.

D shows the table or tablet supporter attached to part 0 in any suitable manner.

E is a nut-lock which may be used for the purpose of preventing the nut N from becoming loosened.

F is a locking latch turning on the pivot D, s cured to the frame A and having an abutment K adapted to come in contact with the abutment M. Said latch F turning upon the pivot Df falls by gravity into the position shown in Fig. 2,forming astop or lock for retainingthe arm 0, together with tablet D and the parts attached thereto, in substantially a horizontal position. The abutment M is' formed on the curved projection J, which projection J is made rigid with the frame-work or casing B.

L is an aperture or opening in the latch F in order to accommodate the unlocking swinging cam H.

I It will be noticed that the cam H is provided with a projection which forms a pivot upon which the whole cam swings, and is also provided with a cam surface P, which is adapted to drop down to receive the contact of the projection or shoulder M. Whenthe arm 0 is raised until the projection M passes beyond the projection K of the latch, the projection K will drop down into the position shown in Fig. 2, and the arm will be stopped by the contact of M against the stop K, and the arm 0 will then be retained in the position shown in Fig. 2. By raising the arm 0 until the end M of the circular projection J passes beyond the cam surface P of the cam H, the cam surface P will drop down into, the position shown in Fig. 3 so that P forms a cam, and when the arm 0 is lowered the contact of the shoulder M with P will raise the latch F and allow the arm 0 to be dropped down into substantially a perpendicular position.

It will be noted that the distance required to unlock the locking latch Ffrom the'circular point J is comparatively slight, the travel of the arm C being necessary only in order to allow the swinging cam to drop from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to have invented, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination with a frame, and a swinging-arm, of a swinging latch pivotally connected with the said frame, a cam pivotally mounted on and swinging with the latch, and a stop-shoulder carried by the swingingarm and adapted to be engaged by the latch for supporting the arm in an approximately horizontal position, said cam serving to raise the latch when the arm is lowered, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a suitable frame, and a swinging arm having a stop, of a swingin g-latch pivotally mounted on the said frame and constructed to engage the stop of the swinging-arm,and a cam for lifting the latch from its locking position as the swinging arm is lowered, substantially as described.

3. The combination with asuitable supporting frame, and a swinging-arm provided with a stop, of a latch pivoted to the supporting frame and provided with a hook for engaging the stop on the arm, and a cam carried by the latch and adapted to dropinto the path of the stop as the arm is raised, and to lift the latch from its locking position as the arm is lowered, substantially as described.

4. In combination with a chair or seat, a tablet supporting arm connected thereto, aswinging latch pivoted to said frame, a projection carried by the arm and having a shoulder adapted to come in contact with the shoulder or stop on said latch, a cam provided with a pivot or journal on which the same swings, and also provided with a cam surface adapted to drop into the travel of the stop on said projection, and to be operated by said projection in raising the latch and allowing the tablet supporting arm to be dropped down into substantially a perpendicular position, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand andseal in the presence of two witnesses.

.sEYMOUR W. PEREGRINE. [I.. s.]

Witnesses:

ED AR TAGGART,

CHRISTOPHER HONDELINK. 

